


Pumpkins

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Halloween, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-29 03:27:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5114270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the first Halloween after the war ends and Ben feels conflicted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pumpkins

“Hmph.  It’s October 31st,” Ben says, leaning against his boyfriend’s side.

“I do not know the significance of this date,” Frederick says, looking over at him from his datapad. 

“Uh, it’s a holiday- Halloween.  Kind of a dumb one.  Kids dressed up in costumes and went from house to house trick or treating.  Getting candy.  And people would go to haunted houses to get scared,” Ben says, shifting a little.

“Humans scared themselves on purpose.  Your species is so strange,” Frederick says, making noise with his noseholes. 

Ben laughs a little.  “If it makes you feel better about dating one of us strange humans, I didn’t really like getting scared.  I stuck with trick or treating- at the not too scary houses.  Hal and Mom always teased me because Matt would go fearlessly into the same houses that I would avoid.” 

“I am unsurprised that Matt enjoyed engaging in such terrifying activities,” Frederick says.

“It’s just weird,” Ben says.  “Like, obviously no one went trick or treating when there were aliens invading.  But are there going to be kids dressed up in costumes this year?  Jack-o-lanterns?  Are kids going to knock on the door of the Volm consulate and ask for candy?”

“We do not have any candy,” Frederick says.  “They would be disappointed.” 

“I suppose it’d be hard to make a haunted house that would actually scare anyone now,” Ben muses.  “But jack-o-lanterns would be nice.”

“I do not know what those are,” Frederick says. 

“You take a pumpkin, scoop out the guts, carve a face on it, and light a candle inside,” Ben says.

“It sounds brutal,” Frederick says.

“Nah, it’s nice,” Ben says.  “Pumpkins are just veggies, not, like, animals.”

“That is much less brutal than what I initially imagined,” Frederick says. 

Ben sighs.  “It’d be weird to do anything for it, but it’d also feel weird not to.  Everything feels so weird now.  This is such a stupid thing to even be thinking about.”

“I understand, even if there are no similar Volm holidays for me to consider my feelings about,” Frederick says.  “If you wish to do something to celebrate this holiday, I would participate as well.”

Ben grins up at him.  “Oh god, we could have a ridiculous couples costume.  You wouldn’t even have to dress up if you didn’t want to.”

“I do not know what you would be,” Frederick says.

“Obviously, I’d be the astronaut that you abducted,” Ben says.  

“I would never abduct you against your will,” Frederick says. 

“I know,” Ben says, grinning.  “Maybe next year we’ll have a jack-o-lantern, though.”

Frederick nuzzles the top of Ben’s head, contemplating.

* * *

 

While Frederick may be a trained warrior and the Volm ambassador to Earth, he still dislikes going to the human market.  They operate on a mix of a cash economy and a barter system- much different from centrally planned Volm production. 

When Frederick had offered to trade the humans the formulas that the Volm use to plan their production, the humans had almost been offended.  Ben had explained it to him later. 

Ben is, in fact, why he has come to the market.  Frederick did not understand much of what Ben talked about in regards to Halloween, but he understood how to make a jack-o-lantern. 

Unfortunately, looking at the array of vegetables available for purchase, Frederick realizes that he does not know what a pumpkin looks like.  Earth has so much variety that it can be overwhelming.

Matt scares Frederick- he is fierce and has killed despite his immaturity and has threatened his wellbeing more than once- so Frederick attempts to avoid spending time with Ben’s younger brother unless Ben himself is there.  Ben has promised to protect him from Matt.  But Matt most likely knows what a pumpkin is, and it is Matt that Frederick sees walking towards him in the market. 

 _For Ben_ , Frederick thinks to himself as he approaches the small yet deadly human. 

“Hello, Matt,” Frederick says, stepping towards him. 

“Hey, Frederick!  ‘Sup?” Matt says, waving in a traditional human greeting. 

“I require your assistance,” Frederick says, attempting to keep his voice even.  “If you are willing to render it.”

Matt looks around a little.  “Is Ben with you?”

“No, he is not.  This is why I require your assistance.  I do not know what a pumpkin is,” Frederick says.

“Uh, promise not to tell Dad you saw me here?  I’m kinda supposed to be in school, but it was boring,” Matt says.

“I will not see your father for some time,” Frederick assures him. 

“Good enough,” Matt says, grabbing his hand.  “C’mon.”

Frederick swallows hard and follows behind Matt, hoping that he is not being led to his doom. 

“The key to a good jack-o-lantern is bigness,” Matt says, bringing him in front of a display of strange orange Earth vegetables. 

“I did not tell you why I required a pumpkin,” Frederick says, fearing Matt’s power.

“It’s Halloween,” Matt says, shrugging a little.  “Not that hard to figure it out.” 

“Ben is conflicted about whether or not to celebrate, but I hoped a small gesture would lighten his spirits,” Frederick says.

“You could also dress up!” Matt suggests as he examines the pumpkins. 

“When he mentioned costumes, he merely said that I would not have to dress up, presumably because I already look alien to humans,” Frederick says. 

“Just put a sheet over your head and say boo.  That’s an easy costume,” Matt says.  “I mean, I’m not dressing up because that’s for _kids_ , but you could do it.”

“I am not a young hatchling either,” Frederick points out.

Matt shrugs.  “Then don’t do it.  But definitely buy this pumpkin.”

Frederick nods at the shopkeeper, handing over the required amount of Earth currency that he took from the jar Ben keeps on their dresser.  Ben always tells him that he should feel free to take the money to buy himself something, but Frederick refrains under most circumstances.  Ben is the one who earns the money, after all, and it does not feel right to spend the money on himself.  But this is for Ben, so he had not felt as guilty when he had taken the money.

“Thank you for your assistance,” Frederick says as he lifts up the large pumpkin.

“Happy Halloween!” Matt says, then looks surprisingly shy as he looks up at Frederick.  “Can I, uh, help you carve it?  You don’t have to tell Ben I helped, though!  Actually, you probably shouldn’t…!”

Frederick blinks.  He had not anticipated this request.  “Of course, and I will keep silent about your presence unless directly asked.”

Matt is terrifying, but Frederick cares for him and he is Ben’s brother. 

“Then come on!” Matt says, grinning as he leads Frederick out of the market.

* * *

 

Ben is surprised to hear Matt’s voice coming from inside Frederick’s quarters, so he pauses to listen in. 

“-every year, I guess.  I don’t really remember, but Hal was telling me about it, so it’s gotta be true, right?” Matt says. 

“I do not believe your brother would lie to you about such a thing,” Frederick says. 

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Matt says, sounding contemplative.  “It’s kind of good that I don’t remember anything.  Like, you said Ben was all conflicted about Halloween or whatever, but I’m not because I don’t remember any of it.  I don’t miss anything.  Not from before anyway.”

Ben can’t tell if he’s serious or covering up his real feelings.  With Matt, it’s always safest to bet on the cover up, though. 

“You wished to help carve this pumpkin,” Frederick says.

“To help you make my brother happy!” Matt protests.  “You’re an _alien_.  What do you know about carving pumpkins?  You didn’t even know what a pumpkin was!  You might’ve messed up carving it!”

“And I thank you for your assistance,” Frederick says. 

“If you forget next year, I could probably help you surprise Ben again.  Unless I’ve kicked your butt for being mean to Ben or something,” Matt says quietly.

“I must remember many things, and it is likely that I will forget what a pumpkin is.  I will not be mean to Ben, however.  I love him deeply,” Frederick says.

“Ew, now you’re getting all mushy.  But, uh, cool about the pumpkin forgetting,” Matt says.

Ben smiles and walks away before either of them can see him. 

* * *

 

“Boo!”

Ben is greeted to the sight of Frederick with a striped bedsheet draped over his head when he finally returns to their quarters.  He claps his hand over his mouth to try to hide his smile.

“You’re a ghost!” Ben says in delight.

“I have been informed that this is also an acceptable costume,” Frederick says, voice slightly muffled by the sheet.

“You make a good ghost,” Ben says.

“It is unfortunate that it is difficult to see as a ghost,” Frederick says.

“Well, I’m not dressed up anyway,” Ben says.

“It is always pleasant to see you,” Frederick says.  “And to me, you are the one who does not need a costume to be alien.”

Ben winces a little.  “Sorry about that.  You know I think you’re cute but to other-“

“I do not mind, Ben.  I merely wished to make you feel better about not having a costume,” Frederick says soothingly. 

“Thank you, then,” Ben says, stepping forward.  “There is one problem with your costume, though.”

“I am certain it is accurate,” Frederick says.

Ben carefully lifts up the sheet to see Frederick’s worried face.  “That I can’t see your cute face.”  He presses his lips to Frederick’s cheek.

“Ah,” Frederick says, smiling and turning blue.  “But it is otherwise accurate.”

“Yeah,” Ben assures him.  “Other than that, it’s perfect.”

“I am glad.  I have one more surprise for you,” Frederick says, letting the ghost costume fall away. 

He wraps an arm around Ben and leads him onto the little balcony he has.  Sitting there is an interesting looking jack-o-lantern, lit up blue by some Volm device.  It’s got two faces- one with impeccably smooth lines that had to be carved with a Volm laser scalpel, the other with jagged edges that clearly come from Matt’s pocketknife. 

“You made a jack-o-lantern,” Ben says, leaning against Frederick.  He knew, of course, but the gesture is still so sweet. 

“I hope you do not find it upsetting; I hoped a small gesture would soothe some of the conflict you felt earlier,” Frederick says. 

“I love it.  And I love you,” Ben says, thinking about the conversation he overheard earlier. 

He knows how afraid of Matt Frederick is (even if he really doesn’t understand- it’s _Matt_ ), so he appreciates how difficult it must have been for Frederick to sit there while Matt was playing around with his pocketknife.  And then to promise to do it again next year. 

“Look!” Frederick says, pointing across the Potomac to the main part of DC.

Little lights are starting to glow.  It’s honestly nothing too unusual- some parts of the city don’t have electricity and most people try to conserve when they can anyway- but there’s something different about it tonight. 

“More jack-o-lanterns,” Ben says in a hushed tone.  “More people celebrating.”

“I am glad,” Frederick says softly, rubbing his back.

“Me too,” Ben says.

Halloween is kind of a dumb holiday, especially after everything that everyone who is still alive has been through.  It’s not like they need more scary in their lives.  But Halloween is a good kind of scary, the kind of scary that means he gets surprised by his alien boyfriend pretending to be a ghost, and it’s good to be celebrating something again. 

They sit out and watch the candles flicker together.


End file.
